Things That Sound Too Good to Be True (They Are)

Watson Scott Swail examines the limitations of large charitable donations, like MacKenzie Scott’s $42 million gift to 10,000 Degrees, aiming to improve college access. While these initiatives provide immediate benefits to some students, their scale and duration are insufficient to effect nationwide change. Sustainable public funding and early interventions are crucial for lasting impact. Continue reading Things That Sound Too Good to Be True (They Are)

Mark Cuban and the Job Skills that are Worthless Today

Mark Cuban’s insights highlight four job skills rendered obsolete by AI: routine coding, basic data analysis, generic finance and legal work, and non-creative tasks. As AI enhances efficiency, the focus should shift to preparing the workforce for roles requiring creativity and critical thinking. Educational institutions must adapt to these evolving demands. Continue reading Mark Cuban and the Job Skills that are Worthless Today

Improving College Access and Success

By Watson Scott Swail, President & Senior Research Scholar, Educational Policy Institute There is much talk about increasing college access and success for students in the United States, especially for those populations who are historically underrepresented in higher education, such as low-income, first generation, and minority students. While access rates have increased over the years, we clearly understand that equity has not been achieved and that … Continue reading Improving College Access and Success

How Much Mathematics is Enough?

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO of Educational Policy Institute and EPI International The National Council on Education & the Economy, the organization led by Marc Tucker, released a series of new reports on Tuesday called What Does it Really Mean to be College and Career Ready? The reports, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and focusing on mathematics and English, explore what is … Continue reading How Much Mathematics is Enough?

Leading by (a Bad) Example

By Watson Scott Swail, President and CEO of Educational Policy Institute and EPI International On May 20, The Texas State Board of Education voted to what some people have called “whitewashing” the history and social studies curriculum in the state to counterbalance “liberal-leaning academics.” Some of the changes debated included adding and deleting current political figures from third-grade social studies standards, dismissing the “socialist” United Migrant Workers, … Continue reading Leading by (a Bad) Example